The invention generally relates to dispensers, and more specifically, to dispensers for dispensing sheet material.
Dispensers for dispensing individual sheets of paper products, for example, toilet tissue, from an internally stored stack of the products are known in the art. Commercial examples of such dispensers include the line of SaniTouch(copyright) bath tissue dispensers from Kimberly-Clark Corporation. The industry is continuously seeking ways to improve such dispensers, especially as to ease and reliability of use by the public, and simplicity and cost from a manufacturing standpoint.
Particular problems arise in use of such dispensers for stacks of relatively high absorbency and low tensile strength paper products, such as bath or toilet tissue. For example, when a maintenance technician over-fills or xe2x80x9cstuffsxe2x80x9d the dispenser upon refilling, the stack becomes compressed against the bottom dispensing surface and it becomes very difficult for a user to pull individual sheets out of the dispensing throat. The sheets will tear and the user is tempted to grasp and pull xe2x80x9cclumpsxe2x80x9d of the product out of the dispenser, resulting in user waste. Preventing over-fill conditions is an ongoing issue.
Conventional dispensers also typically include front doors or panels that swing open to provide access for refilling the dispenser. Such a configuration for refilling paper products often contributes to the compression of the stack at the bottom of the dispensing surface. Further, the doors or panels must be secured via lock and key mechanisms to prevent vandalism. Such devices add to the manufacturing costs, must be serviced and maintained, and require maintenance personnel to keep track of keys and the like for opening the dispenser.
The industry is constantly seeking improved dispensers, particularly for dispensing stacked sheets of bath or toilet tissue. The present invention offers such an improved dispenser and addresses certain noted drawbacks of conventional dispensers.
Definitions
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cexit portxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdispensing openingxe2x80x9d is the opening in a housing of a dispenser for the passage of sheet material out of the dispenser.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9csheet materialxe2x80x9d means a material that is thin in comparison to its length and breadth. Generally speaking, sheet materials should exhibit a relatively flat planar configuration and be flexible to permit folding, rolling, stacking, and the like. Exemplary sheet materials include, but are not limited to, paper tissue, paper towels, label rolls, or other fibrous, film, polymers, or filamentary products.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cfastenersxe2x80x9d means devices that fasten, join, connect, secure, hold, or clamp components together. Fasteners include, but are not limited to, screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, snap-fits, tacks, nails, loop fasteners, and interlocking male/female connectors, such as fishhook connectors, a fish hook connector includes a male portion with a protrusion on its circumference. Inserting the male portion into the female portion substantially permanently locks the two portions together.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9chingexe2x80x9d refers to a jointed or flexible device that connects and permits pivoting or turning of a part to a stationary component. Hinges include, but are not limited to, metal pivotable connectors, such as those used to fasten a door to frame, spring-loaded hinges, living hinges, and so forth. Living hinges may be constructed from plastic and other materials and formed integrally between two members. A living hinge permits pivotable movement of one member in relation to another connected member.
As user herein, the term xe2x80x9ccouplexe2x80x9d includes, but is not limited to, joining, connecting, fastening, linking, or associating two things integrally or interstitially together.
In one aspect of the invention, a dispenser for dispensing individual sheets of a paper product from a stack of sheets loaded in the dispenser is provided. The dispenser has a housing having an internal compartment configured to hold a stack of sheets. The dispenser also has at least one door coupled to the housing. The door provides access and closure to the internal compartment. At least a portion of the door has a dispensing opening formed therein through which individual sheets are dispensed. The door is configured to move into the internal compartment to provide an opened loading position for loading a stack of sheets. The door is also configured to move into an alignment with adjacent portions of the housing when it is in a closed dispensing position such that the door abuts adjacent portions of the housing to provide a closure and to hide an entry point into the dispenser, thereby providing an illusory appearance of being an unmovable portion of the dispenser.